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phylp
Trad climber
Upland, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 23, 2018 - 05:32pm PT
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Is the “Dutch Johns Meadow” Rd approach any easier than the Buttermilk Rd spproach? On paper at least it doesn’t look like there are any creek crossings until you are quite far in.
Secor describes this Rd as rough. Is it true high clearance rough or Subaru Forrester rough?
Thanks friends and friendly strangers.
Phyl
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kunlun_shan
Mountain climber
SF, CA
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May 23, 2018 - 05:47pm PT
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The Buttermilk Rd was pretty washed out last spring (2017) unless one had lots of clearance. No go for Subies.
Does anyone know if the Buttermilk Rd has since been repaired?
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ruppell
climber
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May 23, 2018 - 05:47pm PT
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What is Dutch John Meadows?
If your in a car stick to the Buttermilks entrance. The upper entrance to Buttermilks Loop(7S01) has some 6-10" rocks on a slope for starters. After another 3 miles you hit another spot that will be hard for a car. It's possible but the lower entrance is way easier as far as the terrain goes. Unless you like to rally your Subie like a kid who just got his drivers license. Then you should absolutely take the upper approach.
EDIT:
kunlun_shan
It's been repaired by the powers that be. They did a great job where the washout/mug bog was. It was really nice to see them doing something constructive instead of putting of more gates to close trails.
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phylp
Trad climber
Upland, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 23, 2018 - 06:11pm PT
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Thanks Ruppell you answered my question. Secor calls the upper Buttermilks Rd loop by that name and some other people online called it that too. Buts it’s just marked on my map as Buttermilks Rd at both ends.
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phylp
Trad climber
Upland, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 23, 2018 - 06:12pm PT
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Thanks for the encouragement, Walleye!
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Bargainhunter
climber
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May 23, 2018 - 06:16pm PT
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I've approached it both ways in the past year. Dutch John Meadow approach was less washed out and more consistent in a 2 wheel drive rented SUV (Nissan Rogue). The Buttermilk road has been maintained very well in the past 1-2 years.
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ruppell
climber
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May 23, 2018 - 06:21pm PT
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phylp
No worries man. I do that loop all the time. I looked at 3 topo maps and I can't find Dutch John Meadows. Sounds like there's a good story there.
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dme
Trad climber
Bishop, CA
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May 24, 2018 - 08:53am PT
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Phyl, I could help you get there. Email me. Diane
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Hoots
climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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May 24, 2018 - 09:57am PT
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Local 4WD club and the county have fixed the washouts/swamp crux that has been the most consistent problem to reach the creek from the Buttermilks.
Still a bit of a rock garden to work through, not sure I'd take a Subaru up there, but road is currently in best shape that I've ever seen it, been up and down it several times this spring.
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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May 24, 2018 - 10:32am PT
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There is a Dutch John Flat near Haiwee pass, Kennedy Meadows
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superbueno
Trad climber
Denver
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May 24, 2018 - 01:40pm PT
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Anyone in this thread been on Humphreys recently? I'm curious about conditions on the ridge, though I'm guessing it's probably fairly snowy/icy based on the webcam...
http://bishopweather.com/
I went up last fall but bailed due to heinous winds. Amazing spot and excited to go back...
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splitclimber
climber
Sonoma County
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May 24, 2018 - 03:00pm PT
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Hi Diane. Thx for the shuttle a few years ago. :)
good to know the road is improving. Now maybe I'll be willing to take my truck with popup out there to knock off the east ridge.
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David Knopp
Trad climber
CA
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May 24, 2018 - 04:09pm PT
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There's also A Dutch John Mountain in east central NV, west of the Snake Range. Very cool place, nobody around.
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tom woods
Gym climber
Bishop, CA
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May 24, 2018 - 05:13pm PT
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The Dutch John road must be the phantom toilet road? I drove it last august and it was in real bad shape, but the word is that the road has since been fixed up to better than ever.
Phantom toilet or buttermilk, they each take about the same time. Expect rocks, but the annoying kind of rocks, not deal breaker need a real truck kind of rocks.
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phylp
Trad climber
Upland, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2018 - 06:33pm PT
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Diane, thanks a lot for the offer to help. We did fine today, but I sent you an email. Hopefully the one I have is still valid.
All we wanted to do today was a recon hike for my husband, who does backpacking, alpine stuff, etc (you know, Roots, you have his old wool knickers).
But as we were driving by the Horton Creek Trailhead, that looked pretty so we did that hike instead. Nice views of Mt Tom and Basin Mountain. The Buttermilks Rd to that point was no problem. The road to the trailhead was too rough for my Subaru so we hiked that instead.
As we were walking up the road to the trailhead, a dozen deer passed by up, heading downhill. Then after we passed the big stretch of aspens, we saw a dozen vultures circling the hillside to the left. They would land on rocks on the edge of their circle and then fly and circle again. Up the hill a bit further was a small group of deer, frozen near a large rock. I swear they looked apprehensive. I told my husband I thought a mountain lion had killed a deer and was feeding on it in the center of the circling vultures. He thought my imagination was too active but he didn’t argue with me when I suggested we both get our knives out of the packs and put
them in our pockets. The news about the mountain biker in WA is fresh in our minds.
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Bargainhunter
climber
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May 25, 2018 - 05:10pm PT
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Dutch Johns Meadow is actually on the SOUTH/ EAST side of 168 along Bishop Creek between Little Egypt/Bitterbrush campground and the Big Trees campground.
It's listed on the SierraMaps Bishop Region (Big Pine to Crowley Lake) recreation Topo Map & Guide, and on Tom Harrison's Mono Divide High Country map. It's also listed on the 7.5-minute USGS topo which is imported for free into my iPhone's "Topo Maps" app.
The road you want to connect with McGee Creek/Mt Humphrey's/Upper Buttermilk Loop is the 7S15 road which branches off of the 168 about 2.9 miles downhill (or Northeast) from Dutch Johns Meadow.
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Bargainhunter
climber
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May 25, 2018 - 05:23pm PT
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As for recent conditions near there, this video was taken on May 8th, 2018 (not 2008 as I said in the video) at 12,500' on the East Buttress of Mt. Tom:
[Click to View YouTube Video]
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jaredg
climber
california
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May 25, 2018 - 11:03pm PT
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I was up on Emerson west ridge yesterday. Pretty dry up on the ridge but just enough snow and ice + altitude sickness + unstable weather that I turned around below the summit. Humphreys looked snowy
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Splater
climber
Grey Matter
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Sep 10, 2018 - 01:31pm PT
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Just out of curiosity, I see there's another dirt road right alongside the pipeline starting at intake 2, 8000 feet, just past the turnoff for South Lake, which is about 5 miles further up hwy 168 from the Dutch John road start.
Is that road gated for DWP only?
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t-bone
climber
Bishop
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Sep 10, 2018 - 01:57pm PT
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both pipeline roads have locked gates
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| Messages 1 - 20 of total 20 in this topic |
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